Asparagus plant--F189

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of female asparagus plant characterized by its erect growth to a height greater than six feet, its ability to produce an average of 25 to 27 stalks per plant and by its high branching (the first lateral branching occurs about 15 inches above soil level). The plant of the variety contains a gene which it imparts to its progenies and is expressed by the distinguishing characteristic known as &#34;tip&#34; flowers.

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct female clone of asparagusdesignated as F189. Plant F189 was selected from a line designated asS102 which was an open pollinated cross of female plant designated asF111, variety UC66, which was planted at the University of CaliforniaAgricultural Experiment Station, Moreno, Calif., in 1964. The source ofseed for the UC66 planting was obtained from Mr. J. Hanna, formerly amember of the Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California,Davis, Calif.

Female plant F189 is a vigorous growing, large-speared plant that growserect to a height exceeding six feet and in all production areas will belarger than male plant M138. An established F189 plant three years ofage or older will produce an average of 25 to 27 stalks per plant peryear. The stalks measured at soil level will average between 11/4 and 13/4 inches in diameter.

Plant growth is erect, and the foliage referred to as fern is dark green(Plate XVIII) in color. The first lateral branch occurs about 15.0inches above the soil level and exhibits a plant characteristic referredto as high branching.

The female plant F189 carries the genes that transmit to its progeny aflowering characteristic designated as "tip" flowers, where the firstflower is initiated at the terminal end of a cladophyll on the fourth tosixth spear to emerge after planting, rather than at the axil along thestems as in other commercial varieties. This characteristic is aparticularly distinguishing one when compared to other known varietiesof asparagus plants.

Asparagus is a dioecious plant, individual plants being either male orfemale in sex.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows the typical female parts of F189.

FIG. 2 shows the large-sized stalks, erect growth, and high-branchingcharacteristic of the plant.

FIG. 3 shows a "tip flower" characteristic of progenies produced whenF189 is the female parent of any cross.

The only existing methods of asexual reproduction of asparagus plantsfor the multiplication of plants of this invention are crown divisionsor tissue culture. The plant of this invention has been asexuallyreproduced by tissue culture techniques, which are more conductive tolarge-scale multiplication of asparagus plants than is crown division.

The colors designated hereinafter are approximate and may vary withseveral factors including soil type, nutrition, temperature, andmaturity. The colors have been determined by comparison to the colors in"Color Standard and Color Nomenclature" by Robert Ridgway, Washington,D.C., 1912.

PLANT CHARACTERISTICS

Spear: Straight, smooth and round with slow taper terminating in a tightcompact head. Spear color is Biscay Green (Plate XVII). Bracts coveringnodes, Lumiere Green (Plate XVII) in color, tightly adhering to thespear. Lateral branches are initiated from the twelfth node when thespears are 15 to 16 inches in height. Emergence in the spring is early.

Foliage: An erect perennial herb Light Bice Grren (Plate XVII) duringgrowth which turns Varley Green (Plate XVIII) as it matures. The stalksare straight with many lateral branches above the twelfth node. Thelatent buds below the twelfth node initiate lateral branches as thestalk reaches maturity. A three-year-old or older plant will develop anaverage of 25 to 27 stalks, 11/2 inches (average) in diameter, that growto a height in excess of six feet. The mature cane is Turtle Green(Plate XXXII), and the bracts are Orchraceous Buff (Plate XV) in color.

Asparagus does not possess true leaves; the leaf-like structures arecalled cladopohylls. Both cladophylls and stalks provide photosynthetic"leaf area".

Inflorescence: One to four, usually two in axil with cladodes. Flowers(0.5 to 0.6 cm length) and Light Greenish Yellow (Plate V) companulate,with rudimentary, nonfunctioning stamens.

Fruit: Diameter 0.8 to 0.85 cm average diameter, with color changes fromBiscay Green (Plate XVII) (immature) to Sayal Green (Plate XXIX) toScarlet (Plate I) at maturity. Seed number varies from 1 to 9 per berry.

Crown-root: Crown a woody rhizome with long fleshy storage roots andfibrous absorptive roots originating from the fleshy storage roots.Storage roots numerous, 1/4 to 3/8 inches in diameter and extending fiveto ten feet in all directions.

We claim:
 1. The new and distinct variety of asparagus plant hereindescribed and illustrated and identified by the characteristicsenumerated above.